Y ENTERTAINMENT
Talent Spotlight
TOM WOOD
Playwright and actor Tom Wood went through his own Scrooge-like transformation when he was first approached to adapt A Christmas Carol for the Citadel Theatre . His husband and then Artistic Director ( now emeritus ) Bob Baker asked him to write a script for Charles Dickens ’ holiday tale , but Wood wasn ’ t interested . “ I thought it was campy ,” he says , “ and nobody takes it seriously . It ’ s just a Christmas treat .” However , Baker convinced him to read the novella , and Wood , who was turning 50 , felt it spoke to him at that pivotal age . “ I didn ’ t realize that Dickens had written such a great , dark story ,” he explains . “ It ’ s about hope : how can people change once they ’ ve gotten older and stuck in their ways ?”
Wood played the humbug-uttering Ebenezer Scrooge for the first 10 years , and is excited to return to the challenge of the role this year . “ You have to go on every night and calcify all of your feelings and have them chipped away throughout the course of the play .” Though the story occurs at Christmas , the heart of it can appeal to anyone . “ Dickens really found a great way to express a real human story ,” says Wood . “ It ’ s the death of the old year and the beginning of the new year .”
A Christmas Carol is now going into its 17th consecutive season . “ A couple of years ago we thought , I guess it ’ s going to wind down ,” Wood says , “ but last year was the best box office yet … It ’ s a great gift .” If you ’ ve been on the fence about catching this magical production , Wood recommends you dive in . “ It ’ s a wonderful way to initiate yourself because it has all the best things about theatre : it ’ s completely accessible , it ’ s funny , and it ’ s uplifting . It ’ s a great family experience .”
Visit citadeltheatre . com for more information on the play or to buy tickets .
The following is a brief selection of concerts , performances , dinner theatres , festivals , special and sporting events that WHERE believes are worthy of your attention .
Coordinates refer to maps on pages 67 to 69 .
COMEDY . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 30 CONCERTS & MUSIC . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 30 CULINARY EVENTS . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 32 DANCE . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 32 FAIRS & EXHIBITIONS . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 32 FAMILY . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 32 FESTIVALS . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 33 HOLIDAYS & OBSERVANCES . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 33 MOVIES & FILM SCREENINGS . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 33 SPECIAL EVENTS . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 33 SPORTING EVENTS . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 34 STAGE . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 34 CASINOS . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 34 COMEDY CLUBS . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 34 LIVE MUSIC CLUBS . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 34 LOUNGES . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 35 PUBS & BARS . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 35
FOR FULL LISTINGS , PLEASE VISIT where . ca / edmonton
The following symbols , located at the end of each listing , denote the establishment ’ s location :
D — Downtown
N — North Edmonton S — South Edmonton W — West Edmonton
COMEDY
AMY SCHUMER Nov 30 — With her name on Time magazine ’ s 100 most influential people list and Barbara Walters ’ 10 Most Fascinating People , there ’ s no question Schumer has gained a ton of recognition for her subversive feminist comedy . Whether or not you ’ ve seen her hit show Inside Amy Schumer , you ’ re sure to connect with her self-deprecating humour and hilarious look at gender dynamics and interpersonal relationships . Rogers Place , 102 St . & 104 Ave ., 780-414-5483 . Map 3-F1 D
DIE-NASTY : THE LIVE IMPROVISED SOAP OPERA Nov 7 , 14 , 21 , 28 , Dec 5 , 12 , 19 — This hilarious , fast-paced improvised soap opera is full of intrigue , drama , and a whole lot of laughs with a new episode every Monday night . To celebrate the rebirth of the Varscona Theatre , the Die-Nasty troupe are taking their show back to the renaissance in 15th-century Venice . Two families , the Gabourgias and the Spinellis , plot for power , money , golden baubles , spices , and — most importantly — love . Varscona Theatre , 10329-83 Ave ., 780-433-3399 . die-nasty . com Map 2-J2 S
JERRY SEINFELD Nov 18 & 19 — This iconic comedy legend with an uncanny ability to joke about the little things in life brings his signature stand-up routine for an unforgettable evening of laughs . Northern Alberta Jubilee Auditorium , 11455-87 Ave ., 780-427-2760 . Map 1-D4 S
STAR TUNE
THEATRESPORTS Nov 4 , 11 , 18 , 25 , Dec 2 , 9 , 16 — Edmonton ’ s renowned improv comedy troupe Rapid Fire Theatre performs Theatresports weekly , where teams of talented improvisers do their best to win over the audience in a series of improv challenges . Shout out your suggestions and watch a scene evolve — you never know what they might say or do ! Citadel Theatre , 9828-101A Ave ., 780- 425-1820 . Map 3-J4 D
CONCERTS & MUSIC
ABBA MANIA Dec 30 — Celebrate the legacy of ABBA with this stunning tribute show complete with vibrant costumes , lighting effects , theatrics , and hit songs — from “ Mamma Mia ” to “ Voulez Vous ” — that ’ ll have you grooving to the beat like a “ Dancing Queen .” River Cree Resort & Casino , 300 East Lapotac Blvd ., Corner of Whitemud Dr . & Winterburn Rd . ( 215 St .), Enoch , 780- 484-2121 . Map 1-A5
ACCORDION SORCERY Nov 17 — Renowned instrumentalist Ksenija Sidorva will defy expectations and perform masterpieces by J . S . Bach and Georges Bizet on her accordion , accompanied by the Edmonton Symphony Orchestra . Winspear Centre , 4 Sir Winston Churchill Sq ., 780-428-1414 . Map 3-J3 D
CANADIAN ROAD TRIP Nov 5 — Take a musical voyage with the Edmonton Symphony Orchestra as they travel from the West Coast to the Maritimes and feature traditional musical from a variety of Canadian composers ,
Don ’ t miss the Edmonton Symphony Orchestra playing The Music of Star Wars on December 13 ( pg 32 )!
PHOTO COURTESY CITADEL THEATRE
30 where . ca // NOVEMBER / DECEMBER 2016